Animated Short Films

The Dorking Film Festival asked filmmakers in Surrey, the South-East and the rest of the UK to send us their animated short films. Here are twelve of the best animations. We present the problems with sending email to Big Foot, coping with lycanthropes in Croydon, one child’s epic struggle against dyslexia as imagined as a mountainous pile of book and more. A prize will be awarded to the best film in this group at the first prize-giving session at 14:15.

Animated Short Films programme

Boats on the GrasslandDirector: Noriko Ishibe, UK 2016, 4 mins.
From the broken bones of an old boat a traveller struggles to explore the world. Director Noriko Ishibe uses her hand-drawn style to share her culture shock at moving from Japan to the UK for the first time in a bold emblemic vision.UCA Farnham

CepholonoclopsDirector: Richard Mirosevic-Sorgo, UK 2016, 2 mins.
A mannequin awakes to discover its has no head. Its search takes in the limits of a decidedly small world. Richard Mirosevic-Sorgo’s playful stop-motion film recalls the work of Barry Purves and Ray Harryhausen in this very human response to a blind predicament.UCA Farnham

City LightsDirector: Jess Lester, UK 2016, 3 mins.
The city is alive. Take a journey through Central London at night set to a poem by Savannah Brown and music by Riley Wong.UCA Farnham

Dinosaurs in the PlaygroundDirector: Stuart Powers, UK 2016, 4 mins.
If you’ve ever wondered how to email sasquatch then this film is for you. Primary school children ponder topics from the depths of the sea to the highest mountain peaks as the animation brings to life the imagination and sheer joy of youth.UCA Farnham

I am DyslexicDirectors: Mads Johan Øgaard & Katie Noel Wyman, UK 2016, 6 mins.
One child’s struggle with dyslexia assumes gigantic physical proportions as his classroom transforms into a mountain of threatening books. This deeply personal film by Norwegian and British directors bristles with imagination and above all hope.

Masso AwnoDirector: Duncan Senkumba, UK 2016, 3 mins.
Join director Duncan Senkumba for a journey through the beauty and chaos of Kampala city taxi park. Black ink and stark primary colours invade the screen in this vision of modern Uganda.UCA Farnham

MiasmaDirectors: Grace Evetts, UK 2016, 3 mins.
A beasts haunts the forest wilting all around it. A hunter gives chase to end this corruption. Mythic fantasy given form in a style somewhere between Children’s book illustrator Oliver Jeffers and renowned Japanese animators Studio Ghibli.UCA Farnham

Oliver: Mega WolfDirector: Molly Brown, UK 2016, 8 mins.
Werewolves are among us… and they live in Croydon! Molly Brown invites us into the world of Oliver, a newly turned lycanthrope, adapting to life and love in London’s favourite borough.

One Last DanceDirector: Will Rowson, UK 2016,
Told from a daughters perspective, seen through her fathers eyes. One Last Dance explores how it felt watching her father slowly forget everything he knew.UCA Farnham

Pasiphae and the Cretan BullDirector: Andrew Whittle, UK 2016, 5 mins.
Discover the origin of the Minotaur in this ribald retelling of the Ancient Greek myth of Pasiphae, wife of Minos, and her boundary crossing love. The classics, cartoons and Carry On-humour mate in this demented romp.UCA Farnham

SnakulaDirector: Sam Shaw, UK 2016, 1 min.
A peckish vampire goes out for lunch. Self-confessed doodler San Shaw says he mainly draws ducks and spooky things but a sanguine sense of humour is also on display here.

The Last King of GranadaDirector: Pepe Gomez, UK 2016, 5 mins.
Boabdil, the Moorish king of Granada faces the decision of his life as his city is besieged by his Christian enemies. Should he abandon the Alhambra to protect his citizens or fight to defend his heritage? Spanish director Pepe Gomez examines a pivotal moment in his hometown’s history.UCA Farnham